Battle Brews Over Amounts
Remaining on Lost Gift Cards

By

Michael J. McCarthy Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal

Updated Feb. 26, 2003 12:01 a.m. ET

These are tough times for retailers, but an unlikely source is giving them a new bonanza: gift cards.

Customers often leave a little money on the plastic cards, and sometimes lose them altogether. When they do, many stores and restaurants keep the spare change, which adds up to an estimated $2 billion a year or more and is growing.

Now, fights are breaking out as states, retailers and consumers tussle over who should get the...